Shedding mechanism for looms



July 28, 1936. H. s'TAuEzLl 2,049,090

SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR, LOOMS Filed April '27) 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 28, 1936. TA 2,049,090

SHEDDING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS I Filed April 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 28, 1936 UNETE $A Hugo Staubli, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Gebr. Staubli & 0.0., Horgem Zurich, Switzerland Application April 27, 1934,. Serial No. 722,770

16 Claims.

The invention relates tov shedding mechanisms for looms, especially shedding mechanisms of the so called gem head type as represented for instance in my United States Letters Patent No.

5 1,886,133: dated August 23, 1932; Already inthe l an-ism constructed in such a manner that at the return-movement of the pattern-card cylinder picks already woven in are released in correct sequence.

The presentinvention hasfor its objectto improve said pick-reading mechanism with a view to reduce the number of moving parts and. to render it more effective.

On the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 illustrates an elevation of a shedding mechanism constructed according to the present invention, this elevation being taken from the outside of the machine frame.

Fig. 2 shows a similar elevation of the same shedding mechanism butataken from the inside of the machine frame, some parts being shown in section.

Figs. 3. and 4 showdetails hereinafter referred to.

For sake of clearness certain known parts are omitted on the drawing to better illustrate the main. difference between the pick-reading mechanism according to the present invention and that shown and described in my prior specificae tion cited above.

t represents the. endless. continuous patterncard' consisting of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, 2 is. the cylinder supporting this pattern card. On the shaft 3 of this cylinder is mounted fixed a toothed wheel 4. which is intermittently driven from a shaft 6- by means. of a cam temporarily engaging. with the notches provided on the periphery of the wheel 4'.

On a supporting shaft t mounted in the machine frames l'2 like as the shaftsi3 and 6, there r are loosely mounted directly sideby side rocking levers 8, one for each harness shaft. Tov each of these rocking levers 8 is: pivotally connected a wire or rod 9 disposed above the cylinder 2 and having its. rear end formed as a hook I'll. From each rod 9 there hangs loosely a pick reading needle H by meansof an eye vertically above the cylinder shaft 3. Below all rods it there extends a lifting bar t3 which is supported by two. levers d2 fixed on the shaft 1 or on another suitable shaft, this lifting bar l'3 serving, to. hold the pickreading. needles l'l far ofi the cylinder 2 during the movement thereof( The swinging motion of the levers G2 is produced bythe shaft 6 by means. of a cam- 43 acting upon roller 41! mounted on another arm of the lever42, see Fig. 4. By means (01. BBQ-77') of a hand lever or the like (not shown) mounted on the supporting shaft 1 or other shaft supporting the lifting bar l3, this latter may be swung upwardly at any convenient time, for instance, when the cylinder 2 shall betaken back by hand in case the releasing of a greater number of picks is: required.

In each of two horizontal slots l 5 in each machine frame lz2, therev is loosely mounted a bar I6, ll respectively, one above the other with a little vertical distance one from another.

The bar [6. is pivotally connected with an arm Iii the front end of which forms a. fork l9 em-' bracing with its legs the shaft 6 in such a manner that. the arm l8. is free to makev a horizontal tact with the cam 2ll by a pull spring 4| one end &5:

of which is. fixed on the arm l8, and the other end on a pin mounted on a lever 23 fixed on the shaft 1'.

The cam 2| bears against a roller 33 mounted on the lever 23..v Loosely mounted on said pin 45 there is an arm 46 the other end of which being pivotally connected with the upper bar H, the spring 4i holding, the roller 33: in constant contact with the cam 2|.

The upper end of eachrocking lever 8 loosely mounted on the supporting. shaft 1 is provided with. a roller l4 adapted to. move below and in the plane of a plate 30 fixed on one of a series of vibrator-levers 25 fulcrumed on a rod 26 fixed in the machine frames l2.. Each of said vibrator levers. 25 supports on a pivot extending from the side thereof, a vibrator-gear 21, having. a crank-pin 28. adapted to be turned in oneand then in an opposite direction by one or the other of the continuously-rotating cylindergears 38, 39. Each crank-pin 28 has pivoted to it one end of a connector 29 the opposite end of which is connected in known manner with a harness-controlling lever 31. vers 25 and the above mentioned parts connecting them with the levers 31:, as well as these levers themselves and the gears 38, 39 are in substance known from my above cited prior spec ification.

Fig. 2 showsv in full lines; the parts 8, 9, 25, 21 that position which they occupy when the associated pick-reading needle ll' rests? upon the full part of the patternrcard I, while the dashdotted lines. represent said parts after the corresponding, pick-reading needle II has dropped into a hole ofthepattern-card l.

Starting from the position shown in full lines whilst the shaft. 6 rotates in clock-wise direction, the. highest point of the cam 2| runs off from the roller 33 so that, the lever 23', by the The vibrator lepush bar I1.

action of the spring 4|, pushes to the left the The supporting blade 32 fixed at the underside of the bar in order tosupport the hook II] on the free end of the rod 9 at certain periods slides off from beneath the hook I0 of the rod. At the same time the highest point of the cam 29 slides away from the roller 22 so that the arm I8 and with it the bar I6 are drawn to the right by the spring 4|.

During this part of rotation of the shaft 6 the lifting bar I3 is lifted to maintain in raised position the rods 9 which have been supported by the blade 32 and to raise the other rods 9 which laid on the drawing bar I6. While thus all picking-needles II are removed. from the pattern-card I the cylinder 2 receives-a motion corresponding to one tooth of the wheel 4 by the engagement of the cam 5 with this wheel. Now the lifting bar I3 is lowered again to allow the picking-needles to read the following pick. The drawing bar I8 is then in its outmost position to the right, the push bar I! in its outmost position to the left and each bar is ready to begin its movement opposite to that indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

Assuming now the pick-reading needle II which depends from the rod 9 shown in full lines in Fig. 2 be dropped into a hole of the patterncard I. Then said rod 9 lies upon the bar I6 which is now moved. to the left in consequence of the cam 29 beginning to act upon the roller 22 supported by the sliding fork I 9. By means of its hook I9 said rod 9 is withdrawn by the back-moving bar I6 and thereby the rocking lever 8 to which therod 9 is connected is rocked from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 to the left into the position represented by dashdotted lines. During this rocking motion of said lever 8 its roller I4 engages with the lower edge of the plate 30 on the corresponding vibratorlever 25. Consequently this lever is turned upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 by'dash dotted lines whereby the harness-controlling lever 3I is turned substantially as described in my prior specification cited above and in the prior specifications mentioned there.

When the left hand extremity of the slot 34 in the gear 21 reaches the pin 35 on the vibratory-lever 25, the rotation of the gear 21 stops. At this time a longv toothless space 36 on the periphery of the gear 2! lies opposite the gear 38 so thatthe gear 21 will not rotate although the gear 38 continues its rotation. Thus the associated harness-shaft rests inits raised position whilst the bar I6 makes its return move ment indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2.

If at the next rotation of the shaft 6 the same pick-reading needle I I drops again into a hole of.the pattern-card I the corresponding har ness-shaft rests in its raised position.

If however at said second rotation of the shaft 6 and the corresponding pick-reading action thesame pick-reading needle II which had previously dropped into a hole of the pattern-card I does not find a hole but rests upon the patterncard, the hook II] of the rod 9 remains in the path of the push bar I! and'is pushed backwards thereof at the next forward stroke (to the right) of said bar. Consequently the associated rocking lever 8 will be pushed to the right and its roller It runs off from the plate 39 so that the vibrator-lever 25 with the gear 21 returns to its lower position, shown in full lines on Fig. 2. To limit said outward motion of the lever B a cross rod 40 is provided. 1

If in the following rotation of the shaft and pick-reading action the same pick-reading needle II which on the previous time had not dropped into a hole of the pattern-card does again not find a hole thereon the associated parts 8, 9, I9, 25, 21 rest in their position shown in Fig. 2 in full lines and the associated harnessshaft will rest in its lowered position. V

It will thus be seen that in each case where a pick-reading-needle I I comes to the same position in two subsequent pick-reading actions there will be no alteration in the position of the associated harness-shaft. In this way the operation of the shedding-mechanism is much simplified and the number of parts which are to be acted upon is much reduced.

The cylinder 2 is adapted to be rotated backward'in known manner in order, for instance, to release picks which have already been inter-. woven. For reversing the cylinder the means shown in my prior specification 1,886,133 may be used.

A pick-reading mechanism similar to that represented and described above may, with suitable. alterations, be used in connection with shedding mechanisms wherein a harness-shaft is actuated upon when the associated pickreading needle does not drop into a hole of the pattern-card but upon a full part thereof. Further the arrangement may be made suitable for the use of pick-reading needles which are not disposed vertically above the axis of the pattern-card cylinder but which act from the side thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a rotatable cylinderwhich is not reciprocated and acts to support said pattern-card, pick-reading needles adapted to be brought in engagement with said. pattern-card, a vibrator-lever for each of said pick-reading needles, a movable rocking lever for eachvibrator-lever for controlling the position thereof, reciprocating bars, a single movable rod connected with each of said rocking levers and adapted to be engaged by one or the other of said bars according to the position of the associated pick-reading needle relatively to the pattern-card the arrangement being such that the position of said rocking lever relatively to the associated vibrator lever is not altered as the associated. pick-reading needle comes to the same position in subsequent pick-reading actions.

2. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card with a rotatable but not reciprocating cylinder supporting it, a series of pick-reading needles adapted to be brought into engagement with said pattern-card, a single movable rod for each of said'needles, a pair of reciprocating bars adapted to act upon said rods, a rocking lever connected with each of said rods and adapted to be actuated by one or the other of said bars and the associated needle rod according to the position of the latter relatively to the pattern-card, a vibrator lever disposed above each of said rocking-levers and controlled thereby as to its position, a gear on this vibrator lever located. between two cylindergears to alternately be brought in reach of one or the other thereof according to the position of said vibrator lever, and a harness-controlling lever connected with said vibrator-gear.

3.In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, a cylinder for supporting this pattern-card, a series of rods crossing, said cylinder above thereof, a pick-reading needle depending from each of said rods above said cylinder, a rocking lever for each of said rods and pivotally connected therewith, means for periodically allowing the pick-reading needles to come in engagement with the pattern-card and to be removed therefrom, two bars mounted above one another and adapted to receive reciprocating motions in opposite direction and to shift thereby a determined number of said rods according to their position relatively to the pattern-card.

4. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card Verdol-paper or other thin light material with a rotatable but not reciprocating cylinder supporting this pattern-card, a series of rods disposed across and above the cylinder, a pick-reading needle depend ing from each of these rods in the vertical axial plane of said cylinder, a series of rocking levers mounted on an axis parallel to the cylinder, each of these rocking levers supporting one end of one of said rods, a bar extending beneath said rods across thereto and adapted to periodically lower and raise them all together in order to bring the pick-reading needles into and out of engagement with said pattern-card, two bars mounted one above another at acertain distance and adapted to perform reciprocating motions in opposite direction and to shift thereby some of said rods in one or the other direction according to the position of the associated pick-reading needle relatively to the pattern-card.

5. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of an endless continuous patterncard Verdol-paper or other thin light material with a rotatable cylinder mounted on a non-reciprocating axis and supporting said patterncard,,pick-reading needles adapted to be brought in engagement with said pattern-card, a vibratorlever for each of said pick-reading needles, a connection of this vibrator lever with a harnessshaft, a movable rocking lever for each of said vibrator-levers, a pulland push-rod pivotally connected with this rocking lever, the position of this rod being determined by the position of the associated pick-reading needle relatively to said pattern-card, means, independent from said cylinder, adapted to cause said needles to read a pick on the pattern-card, said cylinder being at. rest; and two bars mounted one above another in suitable distance and adapted to reciprocate in opposite directions one relatively to the other, the above mentioned pulland pushrods and therewith the arms supporting the associated vibrator levers being engaged by one or the other of said reciprocating bars or let at rest according to the position of the associated pickreading needle relatively to the pattern-card.

6. A shedding mechanism for looms, comprising a pattern-card Verdo-l-paper or other thin light material, a series of pick-reading needles, a vibrator-lever for each of these needles, a gear on this vibrator-lever located between two cylinder-gears to alternately be brought in reach of one. or the other thereof according to the position of said vibrator-lever, a harness-controlling lever connected with said vibrator-gear, a rocking lever adapted to support said vibratorlever, a rod pivotally connected with this rocking-lever and extending over the pattern-card, a pick-reading needle depending from this rod towards the pattern-card, means adapted to allow or-impart to said rod a swinging motion around its pivot on said rocking-lever to bring the pickreading needle into and out of contact with the pattern-card, two reciprocating bars disposed in a suitable distance one above another, one. or the other of these bars engaging with said rod according, to the position of the associated pickreading needle relatively to the pattern-card, the engagement resulting in a rocking motion of said rocking arm causing; a movement of said vibratorlever.

7. In av shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a cylinder for supporting this patterncard, a toothed wheel for imparting partial movements to this cylinder, a series of pick-reading needles, a harness-controlling-mechanism comprising a vibrator lever for each of said needles, a rocking lever controlling the position of said vibrator-lever, a rod pivoted to this rocking lever and supporting a pick-reading needle, two bars disposed one above the other near the free end of said rod, cams for moving these bars in such direction in which, according to the position of the pick-reading needle relatively to the pattern-card, one or the other of said bars acts upon said rod and the associ ated' rocking lever to move the vibrator-lever supported by this rocking lever, another cam mounted insuch a position relatively to said two cams as to give a partial movement to said toothed wheel and thereby to the cylinder at a moment where said bars are not actuated upon by their cams.

8. In a shedding mechanism for a loom, a frame, :a shaft fixedly but rotatably mounted therein, a cylinder for carrying an endless pattern cardor Verdol-paper or other thin light material mounted on said shaft to. rotate therewith, vibrating levers pivotally mounted in said frame, a supporting shaft mounted in said frame, a rocking lever mounted onsaid supporting shaft for each of said vibrating levers and supporting the latter, the lower surface. of each of said vibrating levers beingcam shaped whereby the rocking of said rocking lever raises and lowers said vibrating lever and means for actuating said rocking, levers. including a reading needle so constructed; and timed that upon the reading needle resting in: the same position after successive steps of; the pattern card the rocking levers will retainthe same position.

9. In a shedding, mechanism for a loom, av therein, a cylinder mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, a toothed wheel fixedly mounted on said shaft, a pattern card supported on said cylinder, a driving shaft mounted in said frame, a cam on said driving shaft intermittently engaging said toothed wheel to rotate the same, a supporting shaft, rocking levers on said sup porting shaft, a vibrating lever resting on each of said levers and each having a cam on its lower surface in the path of, its rocking lever, said vibrating lever beingpivotally supported from said frame whereby it will be raised and lowered by the rocking of said arm, a rod pivotally attached to each said lever and having a hook at the end thereof, a pick reading needle suspendedv from said rod above the pattern card, angular levers on said supporting shaft, a lifting bar supportedv by said angular levers and extending transversely of said frame beneath said rods, cams onv said driving shaft for actuating said angular levers whereby the rods are raised to free the reading needle from contact with the pattern card, two reciprocating bars slidingly supported in said frame at different horizontal levels and means transmitting motion from the driving shaft to reciprocate said bars, the one moving in one direction and the other in the other directiornthe upper reciprocating bar being at a height to engage and push the said rod when said reading needle rests on the surface of the pattern card and the lower reciprocating bar being at a height to engage and pull the rod when said reading needle finds a hole in the pattern card, the movements of said lifting rod, said reciprocating bars, and said cylinder being relatively so timed that upon the reading needle resting in the'same position with regard to said cylinder after successive steps of the latter, the rocking arms and hence the vibrating lever will remain at rest.

10. In a shedidng mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material with a rotatable but not reciprocating cylinder supporting said card, pick-reading needles adapted to be moved to Wards and away from said cylinder, a rocking lever for each of these needles, a rod for each needle connecting said needle and said rocking lever, two movable members adapted to simultaneously reciprocate in opposite directions and to alternately actuate a certain number of said rocking levers in opposite directions by means of said rods, according to the position of the associated needles relatively to the pattern-card cylinder, the reverse motion of the reciprocating members being without eiiect upon the rocking lever.

11. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a rotatable but not reciprocating cylinder for supporting this pattern card, pick-reading needles adapted to be moved towards and away from said cylinder, a rocking lever for each of these needles, two members adapted to simultaneously reciprocate in opposite directions, an intermediate member between this rocking lever and said reciprocating members adapted to be brought into the path of one or the other of these members for the opposite parts of their movements to actuate the rocking lever in one or the other direction according to the position of the associated pick-reading needle relatively to the pattern-card cylinder, the reverse motion of said members being without effect upon the rocking lever.

12. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a rotatable but not' reciprocating pattern-card cylinder, pickreading needles adapted to be moved towards and away from said cylinder, an individual holding means for each of said needles, a rocking lever connected with said holding means, two reciproeating members adapted to alternately act upon said holding means in opposite directions according to the position of the associated needles relativelyto the pattern-card cylinder to rock said rocking lever, the reverse movements of said reciprocating members being ineifective for the rocking lever.

13. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a rotatable but non-reciprocating cylinder for supporting this pattern-card, pick-reading needles adapted to be moved towards and away from said cylinder, a

holding member for each of these needles, a rocking lever connected with this holding member, two movable bars reciprocating in opposite directions to actuate a certain member of said rocking levers by means of said holding member 5 according to the position of the associated pickreading needles relatively to the pattern-card cylinder, the position of the rocking lever resting the same for two or more subsequent movements of said reciprocating bars in case where the associated pick-reading needle finds its previous' position relative to the pattern-card cylinder during subsequent pick-reading actions.

14. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a rotatable but not reciprocating cylinder which acts to support said pattern card, pick-reading needles adapted to be moved towards and away from said cylinder, a vibratorlever for each pick-reading needle, a rocking lever for each of these vibrator levers, two movable bars reciprocating in'opposite directions, a movable means for each pick-reading needle connected with one of said rocking levers and adapted to be actuated by one or the, other of said movable bars to be brought to or out of engagement with the associated vibratory lever according to the associated pick-reading needle relatively to the pattern-card, the position of the rocking lever relatively to the associated vibrator lever being maintained if'subsequent equal positions of the pick-reading needle relatively to the pattern card occur.

15. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a rotatable but'not reciprocating cylinder for this patterncard, a series of rocking levers, two barslocated one above another, a shaft, two cams fixed on this shaft and adapted to displace said bars in opposite directions towards and away from said rocking levers, a rod pivotally connected with each of said rocking levers and extending above the'p'attern-card cylinder across the axis thereof in the direction towards said bars, a pick-reading needle on each of said rods above said cylinder, means for bringing said rod into and out of the path of said bars according to theposition of the associated pick-reading needle relatively to the pattern-card cylinder.

16. In a shedding mechanism for looms, the combination of a pattern-card of Verdol-paper or other thin light material, with a rotatable but not reciprocating cylinder for this patterncard, aseries of rocking levers, two bars located one above another, a shaft, two cams fixed on this shaft, a sliding arm connecting one of said bars with one of said cams, a lever connectingthe other of said cams with the other of said bars, the position of said cams relatively one to another and to said sliding arm and lever being such that said cams act upon said two bars at the same time but in opposite directions, a spring connecting said sliding arm with said lever to hold these parts in constant contact with their cams and to effect their return movement, a rod extending from each of said rocking levers towards said bars, a pick reading needle on each of these rods, means for moving these needles relatively to the pattern-cardcylinder and to bring at the same time saidrodinto the path of one or the other of said bars according to the position of the associated needle relatively to said cylinder. i

HUGO sTAUB I. 

